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Daily Record
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I'm an Irish Grand National jockey riding a 50/1 shot but I really fancy the second favourite to win at Fairyhouse
O'Keeffe is a Cheltenham winner who was won on Galopin Des Champs and is thinking Irish at Fairyhouse Respected jockey Sean O'Keeffe senses trainer Gavin Cromwell's sensational year will continue by winning the Irish Grand National. O'Keeffe is a Cheltenham Festival winner who was won on Galopin Des Champs, now he is utterly convinced Cromwell will continue on a burgeoning year which includes Inothewayurthinkin in the Gold Cup and Stumptown in the Cross Country at this year's Cheltenham. Now O'Keeffe – riding Another Choice – fancies highly touted Now is The Hour to step up and deliver a glorious victory at Fairyhouse. Punters are expecting a treat after the thrills at Aintree and Ayr in recent weeks. Speaking to horse racing odds: "In these big chases, a lot can happen. You can go out with a plan but then you have to take it as it comes a lot of the time, a lot can happen with a big field. It's a great start, 30 runners spread across the track. It is a case of getting over the first three and then finding a nice position and getting into the rhythm, it is just another race after that. "There is a lot of history to the race, you look at the greats that have won it in previous years. There is always new history to the race too, as well as the old videos, that always adds to it. "Maybe High Class Hero of Willie's he is probably better than what he has shown over fences this year, he got beat the last time out on quick enough ground at Thurles so stepping up, on lovely ground at Fairyhouse, I would say he could be just a bit better than his handicap mark. "I'd like Gavin Cromwell's horse, Now Is The Hour. He seems to have been lined up for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and he was going to run a really big race when he fell at the second last, there is definitely a big pot in him. If he's been kept fresh with this, he has some form with Captain Cody at Navan who won the Scottish National, so I'd say he could get compensated now in the Irish National." Here is the full list of Irish Grand National runners and riders: Better Days Ahead (Rob James) Quai De Bourbon (Paul Townend) Johnnywho (Derek O'Connor) Bioluminescence (Keith Donoghue) Harry Des Ongrais (Rachael Blackmore) Duffle Coat (Alex Harvey) Favori De Champdou (Danny Gilligan) Search For Glory (Sam Ewing) Sequestered (Jack Gilligan) Desertmore House (JJ Slevin) Malina Girl (Sean Flanagan) Panda Boy (Ricky Doyle) Yeah Man (Kieren Buckley) Haiti Couleurs (Sean Bowen) Now Is The Hour (Conor Stone-Walsh) Shecouldbeanything (Jordan Gainford) Sa Majeste (Simon Torrens) Any Second Now (Mark Walsh) Lord Lariat (Paddy O'Hanlon) Stuzzikini (Gearoid Brouder) Tullybeg (TP Harney) Daily Present (Aidan Kelly) Mint Boy (Kevin Sexton) Dunboyne (Donagh Meyler) Final Orders (Patrck O'Brien) Kinturk Kalanisi (Darragh O'Keeffe) Bushmans Pass (Philip Enright) Moonovercloon (Ben Harvey) Hasthing (Brian Hayes) Noble Birth (Daniel King) You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish Grand National 2025 tips: Selections for all eight races at Fairyhouse
Progressive Haiti Couleurs and English champion-jockey elect Sean Bowen might give Wales a first victory in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National. The traditional €500,000 Easter Monday showpiece last went for export when Shutthefrontdoor triumphed in 2014 for Jonjo O'Neill, who runs Johnnywho today. But Haiti Couleurs has the ideal profile for the race. A late developing eight-year-old, he's a progressive novice, jumps and stays well and comes here on the back of a convincing win in Cheltenham's National Hunt (Handicap) Chase. That victory proved his stamina, as he beat Rock My Way by four and a half lengths, with Will Do, who reopposes today, back in third. Trained by Rebecca Curtis, the selection is now 6lb higher and gets the vote to confirm form with Will Do and Now Is The Hour, one of six runners for Gavin Cromwell in today's race, who was Haiti Couleurs' nearest pursuer, travelling well, when he capsized at the second last. But the Curtis gelding has far more experience over fences than Cromwell's charge. And that will stand to him in this 30-runner affair. He has won three of his four chase starts, kicking off with a win, off 125, at Aintree in November before following-up at Cheltenham the following month. Click on this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest Cheltenham Festival news and top stories from the Irish Mirror direct to your phone on WhatsApp. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Third to Santos Blue at Newbury next time, he then fulfilled his potential at Cheltenham and, despite a rise in the ratings, he looks well-placed to run a massive race for Bowen, cleared to ride today thanks to a reduction of a six-day suspension. Haiti Couleurs likes to race prominently, making use of his jumping. And that quality should enable him to stay out of trouble in what is always a tough race. Now Is The Hour hasn't hit the target over fences yet but shaped well when third to Three Card Brag at Navan before his Cheltenham mishap. He must be on the shortlist here, along with stable-companion Bioluminescence, lightly-raced over fences but a Grade 2 winner in this sphere and runner-up to Spindleberry (a winner again yesterday) at Fairyhouse last time. And another Cromwell hope, Noble Birth, successful on this track in January, has sneaked into the bottom of the handicap and must not be ruled out. Gordon Elliott is responsible for seven of the 30 runners, including novice top weight Better Days Ahead, third to Lecky Watson in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, last time and reserve Will Do, who is guaranteed a run. Willie Mullins, splitting his focus between the British Trainers Championship and domestic action, runs two, with Paul Townend on novice Quai De Bourbon, a casualty in Grade 1 company at both Cheltenham and Aintree. Peter O'Hehir's tips for Fairyhouse 2.05 King In Love 2.40 Its Bilbo 3.15 Oscars Brother 3.50 Maxxum 4.20 Heart Wood (Nap) 5.00 Haiti Couleurs 5.40 Folly Master 6.10 Shuttle Diplomacy Next Best 2.05 Aurea Fortuna 2.40 Blue Lemons 3.15 Come Walk With Me 3.50 KopeckDe Mee 4.20 Found A Fifty 5.00 Bioluminescence 5.40 Better Times Ahead 6.10 Sortudo Double: Heart Wood and Folly Master. O'Hehir's Longshot: Kaptain Bay (2.05)
